If anyone can figure out how to create a phone with a variably sized screen (with fold-out or sliding tiles that lock together seamlessly), tablets will become redundant. I give it five to seven years.

Yeah, I do - and not just because the category is gaining legitimacy. The Surface Pro 3 is a truly great machine. The price is a little high for it to fly off the shelves, but it should sell far better than the last two iterations. The product line has come an awfully long way. The original Surface Pro was one of the worst machines I've ever experienced. And now, in a very good class of available 2in1's, Microsoft has got one the best out there.

I admit I haven't given notebook-tablet hybrids enough of a chance. They've gone from novelty act to legit contender in a short time as tablets have gotten squeezed. Do you think this movement will help Microsoft actually sell some Surface devices?

Ditto for me and my GS5, Shane. I got the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga at about the same time - and now I hardly ever bring my tablet along on trips. The TP Yoga is better for watching videos and reading magazines than either my 8-inch or 10-inch tablets. I do still prefer reading books on the 8-inch tab. It's the ideal paperback replacement form factor, I think. But that alone isn't reason enough to lug it with me.

As tablet prices plummet, I think vendors will still be able to entice us with models designed for impulse buying. I can envision myself picking up an attractive, low-cost model while waiting in line to pay at Fry's Electronics, for example. Or maybe a small one with a suite of casino apps at the gift shop in the Vegas airport.

The 2-in-1 hybrids have certainly gotten better and cheaper, but I think smartphones are the bigger threat. I can say from experience that since I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S5 phone -- with its 5-inch screen -- my 7-inch Google Nexus tablet spends a lot more time on the bedside table. The phone is just big enough for reading ebooks, emagazines, and Web surfing comfortably. The tablet still provides a better experience for those activities, but it's not essential.

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